Means for winding endless cinematograph films and the like



M. HARPER Nov. 25, 1 930.

MEANS FOR WINDING ENDLESS CINEMATOGRAPH FILMS AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 2,1928 r Ill/11111;;

L lli/11111111101111]! Patented Nov. 25, 1930 PATENT OFFICE MARTINHARPER, OI STRAND, LONDON, ENGLAND MEANS FOR- WINDING ENDLESSGINEJSIATOGRAPH FILMS AND THE LIKE Application filed'November 2, 1928,Serial No. 316,833, and in Great Britain July 9, 1928.

This invention relates to means for winding endless cinematograph filmsand the like. The object of the present invention is to provide animproved form of drum or reel on i which the film or the like can becontinuously Y tend radially of the plate,

wound and unwound in the form of a coil, and which can be operated witha minimum of friction and power.

According to this invention the drum or reel comprises two plates, onemade in the form of a flat ring, spaced-apart by means of rollerscarried by adjustable centres in the plates and arranged near theperipheryand at right angles to the plates. Near the periphery of thelower plate are a number of apertures, which allow the upper surfaces ofa number of rollers, one for each aperture and carried by adjustablecentres mounted beneath the plate, to protrude just above the plane ofthe plate. These latter rollers exand the edges of the film coil rest onthese rollers.

Approximately plate is an aperture over which a roller is mounted withthe lowest part of its surface in the plane of the plate, and anadditional roller is carried in an aperture on a tangential extension tothe plate.

Secured to the underside of the lower plate is a bracket for adj ustablyattaching the drum or reel to the projection apparatus, and one or morepins is or are radially adjustable in slotted guides in the plate, orare otherwise radially adjustable.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1is a plan view of a drum or reel made in accordance with my invention,part of the upper plate being broken away; and

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Fi 1.

l n these drawings the plates 1, 1a are each provided with a series ofoppositely disposed adjustable centres 2, 2, between each opposite pairof which is mounted a roller 3.

Mounted below the plate 1 in brackets 4, having adjustable centres 5,are a series of rollers 6, whose upper surfaces protrude throughapertures? in the plate.

Approximately in the centre of the lower in the centre of the lowervplate 1 is an aperture 8 above which is mounted a roller 9 carried byadjustable centres 10 in brackets 11, the roller being so mounted thatwhen the drum or reel is mounted on the apparatus, the said roller isdirectly above the gate and the lowest part of its surface 1s in theplane of the lower plate 1.

One or more pins 12 is or are adjustable in radial slots 13 in the lowerplate 1, being secured in position by a wing nut 14. The outer ends ofthe radial slots 13 extend beyond the periphery of the rollers 3.

On the periphery of the lower plate 1 I provide a tangential extension15 having an aperture 16 in which is mounted a roller 17 on adjustablecentres 18.

Secured to the underside of the lower plate 1 is a bracket 19 foradjustably .securing the drum or reel to the projection apparatus.

The method of winding the film in a coil on this improved drum or reelis as follows The beginning of the film is passed downwardly through theaperture 8 and thence through the projection apparatus and the end isleft free. The reel of film above the lower plate is passed over theroller 9 and then with a half-turn vertically around the outside of allof the rollers 3, as shown, in an anti-clockwise direction, the, pin 12having previously been moved to the outer end of the slot 13. As manyturns of the film as are necessary are made, the end then passing, witha half-turnhorizontally over the roller i The end is then passed over acompensating roller, which is carried by a spring-controlled arm hingedto the base or other suitable part of the apparatus, and the two freeends are then joined together to form an endless coil.

The pin 12 is then moved to the inner end of the slot 13 to ensure thatthe coil will have the necessary slackness during operation.

It is essential that the drum or reel should be always truly horizontal,otherwise the convolutions of the coil pressing on each other cause thecoil to bind, and as it is at times desirable .to project with theprojection apparatus at an angle, the connection between the plate andthe projection apparatus 1 is such that the plate can be adjusted so asalways to maintain a horizontal positlon.

The drawings show the plates forming the drum or reel as circular. Ithas been found, however, that varying temperatures affect the base nowbeing used for non-inflammable films and at certain temperatures suchbase will form sharp angles and therefore will not keep to an absolutecircle round the rollers.

This has been found to accentuate itself when a large footage of about1,000 feet or over is used and in such cases I find that it ispreferable to vary the form of such a reel from a circular plate to anelliptical or other curved plate or to an oblong plate with curved ends.

1. Means for winding endless cinematograph films and the like comprisinga film carrying drum, two plates spaced apart by means of rollersarranged near the periphery and at right angles to the plates, centresfor such rollers mounted in the plates, an aperture in the lower plate,a roller mounted parallel with the lower plate, and with the lowest partof its surface in the plane of the plate, centres for said rollermounted on said lower plate, a tangential extension to said lower plate,an aperture in said extension, a second roller mounted parallel with.the said extension and in said aperture, centres for said second rollermounted on said extension, and means for adj ustably attaching thefilmcarrying drum or reel in a horizontal position to a projectionapparatus.

2. Means for winding endless cinematograph films and the like comprisinga film carrying drum, two plates spaced apart by means of rollersarranged near the periphery and at right angles to the plates,adjustable centres for such rollers mounted in the plates, an aperturein the lower plate, a roller mounted parallel with the lower plate, andwith the lowest part of its surface in the plane of the plate,adjustable centres for said roller mounted on said lower plate, atangential extension to said lower plate, an aperture in said extension,a second roller mounted parallel with the said extension and in saidaperture, adjustable centres for said second roller mounted on saidextension, and means for adjustably attaching reel in a horizontalapparatus.

3. Means for winding endless cinematograph films and the like comprisinga film carrying drum, two plates spaced apart by means of rollersarranged near the periphery and at right angles to the plates,adjustable centres for such rollers mounted in the plates, an aperturein the lower plate, a roller mounted parallel with the lower plate, andwith the lowest part of its surface in the plane of the plate,adjustable centres for said roller mounted on said lower plate, atangential exposition to a projection the film-carrying drum or tensionto said lower plate, an aperture in said extens on, a second rollermounted parallel with the said extension and in said aperture,adjustable centres for said second roller mounted on said extension, aradial slot in the lower plate, a pin adjustable in said slot, and meansfor adjustably attaching the film-carrying drum or reel in a horizontalposition to a projection apparatus.

4;. Means for winding endless cinematograph films and the likecomprising a film carrying drum, two plates spaced apart by means ofrollers arranged near the periphery and at right angles to the plates,adjustable centres for such rollers mounted in the plates, an aperturein the lowerplate, a roller mounted parallel with the lower plate, andwith the lowest part of its surface in the plane of the plate,adjustable centres for said roller mounted onsaid lower plate, atangential extension to said lower plate, an aperture in said extension,a second roller mounted parallel with the said extension and in saidaperture, adjustable centres for said second roller mounted on saidextension, a radial slot in the lower plate, a pin adjustable in saidslot, a series of apertures in said lower plate near to the peripherythereof and a roller mounted in adjustable centres below each apertureand arranged radially of the said lower plate with its upper surfaceprotruding through said aperture, and means for adjust- .ably attachingthe film-carrying drum or reel in a'horizontal position ratus.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this nineteenth day ofOctober,

MARTIN HARPER.

to a projection appa-

